Playnix Crashing Onto The Scene
While the UK and the New York Attorney General go after Steam, the EmuDeck developer behind software suites for installing, configuring, and updating emulators on Steam Deck, Linux, and Windows, has come out with the Playnix Console. Everyone has been waiting to hear news about the three new hardware pieces dropping from Steam since Feb. 2026. It seems someone else may be looking to pick up the slack while Steam handles all the weird influx of lawsuits pending.
Hello Playnix Console
It looks like a new mini-PC might be taking over the Linux world with the Playnix Console. According to PC Gamer, it has a six-core 65-watt AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor, packing a solid 512 GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and a well-rounded 2 sticks of 8 GB DDR4-3200 RAM. The picture of it does look remarkably like an old turntable, with a slim design and sharp color contrast. Alongside all this hardware is a nice AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB graphics processing unit.
PC Gamer said the previous version was using a single stick of 16 GB DDR4-3600. With the prices being sky high due to the data centers being built for AI infrastructure, it’s no real surprise EmuDeck dropped to 2 sticks of 8GB DDR4. The listing page says batches are adjusted as prices fluctuate at the time of manufacturing. This powerhouse uses a custom Arch Linux distro, which makes use of Steam Gaming Mode for seamless playing through the user’s Steam library.
While it comes with a wireless controller, the price is rather unsettling at $1,139 according to PC Gamer, and that’s before shipping. While it may function as a PC and a console all at once, not many people are going to be willing or have the money lying around to buy one immediately. However, it is noted that you can upgrade the hardware, which brings it closer to the true mini-PC than it does to your average console.
Where Did Playnix Console Come From?
While pinning down where it originated from isn’t easy, it seems the system originally started with a similar naming system as the Steam Machine, dubbed in Aug. 2024 as the EmuDeck Machine, according to Notebook Check. It was far ahead of its time, seeing as the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset were announced Nov. 2025 and still have no release or pricing. Back when EmuDeck Machine was released, the trio of hardware from Valve hadn’t been announced yet, and with all the litigation on their doorstep, no updates have been made.
Looks like the EmuDeck Machine’s spiritual successor, the Playnix, will be shipping from Spain. As everyone sits waiting to find out what is going to happen with Valve, perhaps looking to the Playnix for the time being might solve some struggles, seeing as it seems to run pretty similarly inline with the build Valve was looking for in their mini-PC meant to bridge the gap for console seekers.
Compared to the Steam Machine, it looks more like a slab, taking inspiration from the Xbox Series S, while the Steam Machine was a discreet cube, designed to be small and compact. Notebook Check noted it comes in a 3D-printed shell and may make it more repair-friendly over the shell of the cube. Valve said it comes with a customizable 17-LED RGB strip at the bottom, though it is also expected to come with swappable front faceplates. Looking at the larger size, Playnix is 320 x 247 x 64 mm, which is rather hefty-sounding compared to the Valve specs of 152 x 152 x 152.
We can fantasize all we want about the Valve hardware, but at the end of the day, the only thing around right now is the Playnix. While the price might make some look away, with the cost of parts constantly on the rise, who even knows where Valve’s price point will be.
